"Richland Public Health offered its plumbing services but they said they had it under control," Reid Richmond, a spokesman for Richland Public Health, said Monday, adding a sanitarian went to the site Monday to check on food services.

Monday afternoon, Kelby King, Avita's marketing and community relations director, said in an email tha due to a pipe repair in the hospital’s front lobby, water in a few areas had to be temporarily shut off.

"The hospital remains open and functioning," she said in the email. "Although some restrooms have been closed, there are fully functioning restrooms available for our patients.

"We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our patients and their families. Our goal is to be as least disruptive as possible during these repairs and restore water as soon as possible."

Avita Ontario Hospital opened Feb. 6 in space that formerly housed Lazarus as an anchor store at Richland Mall. The new facility allowed Crawford County-based Avita Health System to expand its service territory further into Richland County.

It became the county's third emergency room, in potential competition for 911 patients with OhioHealth's Mansfield Hospital and OhioHealth's Shelby Hospital.